This rising prospect could save the Reds millions next season

Since being acquired from the New York Mets as an 18-year-old in 2022, Héctor Rodríguez has been an underrated part of the Cincinnati Reds’ farm system. In fact, Nick Krall noted at the time of the trade that Rodríguez had a “chance to have a plus hit tool” (emphasis added).

Roughly 400 pro games later, the toolsy outfielder has clearly turned that chance into a reality, and his breakout could play a significant role in the Reds’ offseason plans.

The Reds’ outfield has been a persistent concern despite additions in both free agency and at the trade deadline. Sixteen different players have seen time in the outfield, and yet, the Reds’ outfielders still have a -2.0 bWAR over the season.

The rise of Héctor Rodríguez could solve the Reds’ most pervasive problem.

The team just can’t seem to find the fix, and a few stopgaps are on their way out. However, if Rodríguez can make the leap from Triple-A to the majors, the Reds could save millions on the free-agent mark and close the outfield hole for years to come.

While Rodríguez’s speed and athleticism once conjured images of him manning center field, the Reds seem to be positioning him as a corner outfielder. In doing so, Cincinnati can safely decline Austin Hays’ $12 million mutual option with the hope that Will Benson, Rece Hinds, or Rodríguez could cover left field with TJ Friedl and Noelvi Marte in center and right, respectively.

In fact, Rodríguez may be the best fit of the aforementioned three because he needs no platoon partner. In 2025, he has hit .298/.360/.489 off righties and .314/.360/.451 against lefties.

Would the Reds probably still want to add a known power bat to that mix to protect against the variability brought on by prospects? Sure. Rodríguez has more unknowns than most. He has only been at Triple-A for about a month and continues to be one of the biggest free swingers in baseball. His chase rate ranks in the fourth percentile among Triple-A hitters according to Prospect Savant (which aggregates data from various sources to create prospect statistical rankings). Still, Rodríguez maintains good results with .359 xwOBA and 17.7% whiff rate.

The young guys are on the way. Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, Sal Stewart, Rodríguez. Those prospects will (hopefully) provide substantial worth on the field while saving the team’s budget. Perhaps Krall will cash in on this good fortune to buy the few remaining pieces needed to bolster this exciting young core.

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